Where do i stand? Long! Sorry

At the weekend (on Saturday morning) i was busily trying to get my new bathroom delivered what a chap from a few doors away came knocking saying there was an escaped bunny on the front and asked if was mine. Thank god it wasn't but i went out anyway.

He's a gorgeous toffee coloured mini-lop from the house across the way, he's so friendly that he let me go right along and pck him up and then he was snoozing away in my arms.

I knocked on the door of the house but nobody was in and i could get into there garden where he escaped from so i took him with me. I but some hay and paper and water in my spare hutch and popped him in there and put a note through thier door saying i had him.

3 days later and they still havn't come home. I had a look through the fence and the hutch has no food or water, the grass on the lawn is so short that it looks like he's been out alone for days. Apparently the family have had problems and split up and now theres just a bloke living on his own but he isn't there very often.

Bunny is very cute but very skinny, no idea how old he is as he's so small, his ears look a bit scabby as they were soaked when i got him.

Am taking him to the vets for a check up tonight.

Where do i stand? What happends if the guy comes back and demands his return? I don't want him to be abandoned again!

Well option one would be to take him home with you and keep quiet. The owner will assume he's escaped again and would he ever know you had him?

Option two could be to take him home and leave a note telling owner he'd escaped twice and you have him for safety

Option three could be to do option two and offer to give him a home.

Thinking about proof of ownership, he probably couldn't prove the bunny was his anyway and from the sound of it you might be doing him a favour.

Good luck!

Sounds like their not bothered about the bun anyway. So even if they came round for him, tell them the truth. 'He escaped, you'd left him with no food or water, if you hadn't found him he'd be dead', so you'd now like to take care of him.

Nicola

http://www.enfield.gov.uk/575/index575.htm and http://www.oxford.gov.uk/environment/stray-animals.cfm

The above two articles are information given out by local authorities. Unfortunately I dont think there is any law which covers the rabbits. What I would do is to contact your local authroity animal warden and the local police ensuring that you have a reference given to you for both reportings. Insist you are happy to keep hold of the rabbit whilst the owner is given the opportunity to contact you as you have a hutch and this also protects the rabbit from anything untoward happening.

I believe after 7 days you will become the legal owner of the bunny if no one comes forward to claim the rabbit.

I would put vague posters up in the street (even though you know who the rabbit belongs to) that way no one can accuse you of not advertising the fact you have found a rabbit. You also then have other people in the street who can vouch that you have found this rabbit.

It may also be worth contacting local rescues and the RSPCA, again all these will support you in that you have searched for the owner. At the end of this time you can keep or rehome this rabbit as you wish knowing you have given the option to collect it, which by the sounds of it they won't.

If they do try and claim it weeks later and everyone knows you have put posters up and contacted the various authroities it will be obvious that this animal was abandoned.

Good luck

I think before you can claim legal ownership you have to advertise for a certain period. Your vet/local council might be able to tell you the exact requirements. As you've let the owner know where the bunny is, it would be best to follow the letter of the law if you wanted to keep him.

Tam

I'd just feel awful if i gave him back and then him being left all alone again.

I kinda felt like saying i put him back through the hole in the fence on Saturday and he must have escaped again!

Then i wonder what would happen if he sneaked around the back and spotten him.

If you do want to keep him, you really must end up talking to the council and the police so that you have proof that you have tried to locate the owner. ARC keep all strays for 21 days before they try to rehome them, if you check with the police or your council they can advise.

My gut feeling is if they havent come looking for their rabbit back yet they probably won't, however to cover yourself please do discuss this with the appropriate people.

If you don't they can legally ask for their rabbit back, worse still you could even be threatened with being charged with theft and handling of stolen property. I doubt if this would happen but you need to protect yourself.

Thanks, which bit of the council do i need to phone? And, what do i say to the police?

If you contact the police front desk and ask to report a rabbit you have found, you can then check with them the normal procedure for lost animals in their area.

You need to contact the animal welfare officer at the council who probably will work for the enviromental health people in your council. Every council is different. You could look at their webiste if they have information about lost animals and who to contact.

I rang the council to get some advise.

They said that all i can dois make an official complaint which they will investigate. I don't really want to complain as its blatenly obvious that it would have been me and i don't want to cause more problems!

I still have the bunny.

The owner came back on Tuesday (3 days after i found him) and said that the rabbit used to belong to his girlfriend and was a house bunny but more recently has been relegated to the garden.

He has the free run of the garden but is by no means protected by cats or foxes which there are quite a few of round us.

He said he just throws it the odd carrot or potato every now and again and other wise it lives off what t can find!?

Is going to ask his ex if she still wants it, hopefully not as i can keep him then. She left 6 weeks ago and hasn't taken him with her yet so fingers crossed!

Gosh! What a lucky bunny to be found by such a caring person (you!). Sounds like you can offer him the kind of life he deserves. I can't imagine leaving somewhere without my animals!

Just wanted to let you know that I think what you're doing for this little soul is wonderful! Good luck and let us know what happens.

We've all got our fingers and paws crossed for you in our house.

Laurz

Oh lets hope he can stay with you... The girlfriend must not want him or she'd have taken him with her :evil: :twisted: ... If me & my hubby split & grab the kids & bunnies & sod everything else !!
I think I'd have a fight on my hands though as hubby loves our buns ..

I would keep the bunny and if ever anyone came knocking for him, say he is no longer with you - he escaped from your or was ill or something.

I know its lying but its the bunny's wellbeing that you are lying for!!

I'd keep it too

Please try not to encourage theft on the public forum

Thanks!

Still have him, thats a week and 2 days now!